In many cases an embedded system is deployed in the field and forgotten. Meanwhile, technology evolves and changes around the deployed system. Older deployed systems have serial interfaces to gain access to the device and information it contains. As the internet has become prevalent, users wish to access their devices without having to go personally to the device and plug in a computer to download data. Consequently, a demand arose to internet enabling the older devices by creating products that have a serial port on one end and an Ethernet port on the other end, which can accept the data from the device and send the data over the internet. This is advantageous because it eliminates the need to do costly replacements for the device.
Embedded systems today can be connected to computer networks (for example, the internet) and to legacy devices. These embedded systems allow connectivity with various equipment, legacy as well as state of the art. For example, an embedded system allows network/internet connectivity to vending machines, refrigerators, utility meters, HVAC systems, and home entertainment systems.
Another problem is the ever-growing number of network enabled devices that have inadequate monitoring and control capabilities. These problems are pervasive, involving all manner of equipment from fax machines, printers, copiers and other office equipment, to specialized devices found in manufacturing plants, home appliances, hand-held electronics such as cameras, audio/video players and medical devices that have network capability but are not part of an integrated network. This problem is particularly acute for the administrators, who often find themselves spending a great deal of money and time bridging heterogeneous management systems. Most of these devices do not contain state information and are even more difficult to manage. A more homogeneous management environment can save time and money, but numerous vendors have many valid business and technical reasons for avoiding homogeneous management systems.
Device management functionality comes in many different forms depending on the administrator's needs and the capabilities of the target device. Common management functions include monitoring the device's critical information, taking an inventory of the device's subsystems, logging interesting events that take place, sending alerts to an administrator, recovering the device if the power fails, ensuring the data is secure, asset tracking, or reporting information to an administrator. Administrators also employ more advanced management functions including scripting or programming, aggregating device data from multiple devices, diagnostics, taking action based on the device data content, trending device data, reporting information in a final format including a spreadsheet or graph, or translating from one management format to another. A major area of management functionality includes securing the device through providing confidentiality of data, data integrity, administrator authentication, device authentication, risk mitigation, countermeasures, or protection against hostile environments and threats.
Further, there is an ever-increasing need for systems of normally independent embedded devices to operate as an interconnected distributed method, allowing a centralized authority to dictate rules by which the system operates while still having functionality to allow the system to learn and implement those rules.